Safe and Sound, AFSCME

Government unions haven’t said much about the federal appeals court decision affirming the entirety of Wisconsin’s Act 10 collective bargaining reforms.

Maybe that’s because even with one of the three judges, an Obama appointee, writing a partial dissent, the union plaintiffs were unable to get any of them completely on board.

That suggests limited prospects for a rehearing before the entire 11-member court, or for a U.S. Supreme Court appeal.

But the very possibility of the latter option underscores the importance of who is on the Court. On Friday the 7th Circuit said state and local governments have no obligation to withhold dues on behalf of unions. Present and future Obama appointees might see it differently, whatever the law and constitution may say.

Similarly noteworthy is the importance of state judicial elections. Additional Act 10 lawsuits remain alive in other federal courts and the Wisconsin court system. As the campaign for state Supreme Court heats up in the coming months, “reformers” will turn up their chatter about doing away with judicial elections.

But electing judges is the citizens’ last line of defense against a judiciary hand-picked by Liberal elites. The Left feigns indignation over ugly campaign rhetoric, but attentive voters will note that the ugliness relates directly to the Liberal candidate’s probability of losing. And ugly campaigns are still preferable to crossing our fingers and hoping for the best.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (its motto—no kidding: “We Make America Happen,”) issued a statement Friday saying they’ll “continue using every method and avenue open to us and will not rest until workplace rights are restored for all public service employees.”

According to the 7th Circuit, workplace rights are safe and sound. Mission accomplished, AFSCME.

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